"But when I
hear it spoken of--not when my books, not when my incomplete
impressions speak about it, but she herself with a living tongue--
it is horrible. And the details are horrible, the inanities, the
seconds of which the years are made."
The conversation sped along, thoughtfully and quietly. It branched
out and embraced the whole of common life on all sides. The mother
became absorbed in her recollections. From her dim past she drew to
light each daily wrong, and gave a massive picture of the huge, dumb
horror in which her youth had been sunk. Finally she said:
"Oh! How I've been chattering to you! It's time for you to rest.
I'll never be able to tell you all."
The brother and sister took leave of her in silence. Nikolay seemed
to the mother to bow lower to her than ever before and to press her
hand more firmly. Sofya accompanied her to her room, and stopping
at the door said softly: "Now rest. I hope you have a good night."
Her voice blew a warm breath on the mother, and her gray eyes
embraced the mother's face in a caress. She took Sofya's hand and
pressing it in hers, answered: "Thank you! You are good people."
CHAPTER III
Three days passed in incessant conversations with Sofya and Nikolay.
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